Gillespie County 4-H announced its new Gillespie County 4-H Hygiene Committee, a student- led inititative.

A group of 4-H members formed the committee after learning from the Gillespie County Health Board that many individuals and families in Gillespie County struggle to access basic hygiene items. Studies show that more than one in three low-income families cannot afford essential hygiene products, said the press release from the organization.

The long-term goal of the committee is to reduce health risks, boost selfconfidence and empower individuals.

“Lice infestations are common, especially in school settings, and can be both uncomfortable and stressful for the kids and families. Some families don’t have easy access to effective treatment. By donating lice kits, we can help ensure that more families have the resources they need to stay healthy and lice free,” said Gabe Moreno, a committee member “As 4-H members, we wanted to take action. The Hygiene Committee is working to collect full-size hygiene products through community drives, donations and grants, in addition to assembling hygiene kits,” said the press release. “Our goal as the Hygiene Committee is to meet the personalized needs of different community organizations, and serve as a supply point for hygiene product needs.”

The group said there are multiple ways to get involved. They encourage people to like and follow the social media page, @ gc4h.hygiene, to stay informed about the time sensitive needs in the community. In the social media bio, there is a link to an Amazon wish list. The items purchased will ship directly to the Gillespie County AgriLife Extension Office.

Hygiene products, cash and gift card donations can also be dropped off at the office.

They also launched a hygiene drive through December to stock up on products ahead of the holidays. One of the eight county 4-H clubs will win a prize for bringing in the most donations.

For questions about the Hygiene Committee, contact gc4h.hygiene@gmail. com.

The committee received $5,250 in grants, with a $250 H-E-B gift card and a $5,000 Create Healthy Grant.

The students aim to provide the necessary products to local organizations who can disperse them to those in need.

“Gillespie County 4-H members are focusing on gathering supplies that meet the organization’s specific needs and storage capacity. For example, some organizations may prefer to stock a small number of pre-assembled kits for distribution, while others may request fullsize items that can be given out individually,” said the press release.

The hygiene committee members are Bella Sione, Emma Geistweidt, Carter Cathey, Gabe Moreno, Aiden Staut and Sydney Geistweidt.